Search - Eddie Constantine :: Ah Les Femmes

Ugly men with beautiful voices....

Merilahti Kristiina | Finland | 10/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...and who might not make it in today's music world, where people should first of all look sexy... Eddie Constantine had an odd face, scarred by acne, and sharp eyes. Still he made it as an actor and as a singer. Not hard to believe once you listen to this voice. This hard-faced man had a really beautiful, playful voice, just right for chansons. And he really sounds like he loved singing. And as all the old chanson singers, he uses French very clearly and beautifully, you could use them very well in studying French.



I admit, I like more the bold, wicked chanson of Brel, and these songs sound old-fashioned, but if you like singers like Piaf, Montand and Aznavour, you'll probably love this, too. Especially Montand comes very easily to mind. It's interesting to hear American standards sung like this, in French and in a very French way, though Constantine sings in English, too - very French English : ) Ce diable noir (That old black magic) and Je vois revoir ma blonde (The yellow rose of Texas) are nicely done. My personal highlights are L'homme et l'enfant, (sung with his daughter) and La fille des bois. They were both old songs, when I was a child, but their Finnish versions were very popular and often played still, so I knew them, just had never heard them by Constantine. I'm glad I finally remembered this guy and heard them. Recordings are about as good as they could be, being this old, so you might keep it in mind: they didn't use multiple tracks back then."